Home is where the hearth is
by WhiteRaven1989
Summary: Besides ice skating Yuuri cherishes a passion that makes people smile and feel at ease: he likes to bake! He may not be good with words but he can convey messages with cookies, cupcakes and tarts. Will the other skaters he meets understand his feelings? Especially Victor?
1. Chapter 1

1.

Yuuri had been seven or eight years old as his sister asked him to help making sweets. At first it seemed like a distraction for her noisy little brother but Yuuri listened to the steps with earnest interest. But as he formed the round cakes carefully all his doubts resurfaced. What if he messed up? What if someone said it didn't taste right? What if he made the ugliest mochi because he was no good?  
"I'll eat them no matter what. Like everyone in the inn would."  
"Really?", Yuuri asked baring his heart on a silver platter, he feared it would shatter under harsh critique.  
"Pinky promise." His sister offered, shaking their arms till they giggled joyfully.  
And they all did. His parents tasted the rice cakes smiling, Mari ate one and asked him if he would like to help her next time, too. Even an elderly couple that was staying at the onsen offered him some well-meant advise but complemented his first try nevertheless.  
On this day Yuuri realized two things.  
First: he liked to create. He enjoyed to imagine and to shape things into something new like he did with skating. On the ice he shaped music and steps into a dance. But it was so unbelievable hard to explain this feelings to someone, especially to adults. He didn't knew the right words yet, maybe he would never find them.  
And second: He could convey a message with mochi or a cake. Baking didn't need words. Yuuri didn't have to fumble sentences, stutter or fear his lacking conversational skill. He could express his feelings easily and everyone understood.  
He could make people he cared for happy with just one bite.  
If ice skating fuelled him to strive higher, baking was like magic - it conjured smiles and comfortable warmth well.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

It was in his first month staying in Detroit when Yuuri and Phichit both were homesick. They were grateful to have the chance being coached by Celestino but otherwise they felt like being the odd ones out.  
"We could try cook something familiar in the dorm kitchen?", Yuuri suggested. "Maybe this would help."  
"You can cook, Yuuri?" Phichit gazed at him awe-struck.  
"Eh ... yes. I often helped out at our inn."  
Far away from home neither Yuuri nor Phichit could get a hold on all the ingredients they needed. In every recipe they recollected from their memories something was missing or not available where they were currently staying at. Plus, Thai food and Japanese styled cooking tasted best in their mother's kitchen - that was unquestionable.  
Desperate Yuuri looked up some American baking recipes. He loved making sweets together with his sister, maybe it would be fun to bake with his new roommate, too.  
The first attempt was ... well inedible. There was no way he had to use so much butter and sugar and cream, was there?  
The second attempt looked decent after Yuuri read through some magazines and cook books in their university's library. He still felt insecure but the familiar pattern of creating sweets eased his nerves a bit.  
The third time Yuuri discovered he liked American frostings and colorful sugar paste to decorate. Phichit's cookies were buried under thick layers of white chocolate and sprinkles in each color of the rainbow. He called it 'fairytale unicorn Phichit style'. They've joked and laughed and teased each other nonstop.  
Ever since then the whole dorm was delighted to meet and taste together their creations. No athlete was allowed to, in particular, but one cookie or two every once a week didn't hurt.

Yuri was still feeling homesick, though he was not alone anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Back in Hasetsu Yuuri took up his love for baking again.  
Call it bad luck but the same day Yurio got a call that his grandfather was hospitalized due to a back injury. Yurio wrestled silently whether he should travel back home or stay to train till he looked up the current air fares. After spending too much money on following Victor on his own accord he had to wait for a call.  
Yurio's grouchy behavior haunted everyone in Yu-topia that day even skating didn't lighten his mood. He spent his free time sending Yuuri angry looks constantly asking why the hell he was playing housewife now.  
In the end Yuuri placed a plate with freshly baked cookies and a glass of milk in front of the teen.  
"Desperate, aren't you? If you think you can fatten me, I have to disappoint you. I'll smash you at Onsen on Ice with my full strength!"  
"Those are with macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. They taste the best when eaten warm."  
"Before you're tearing up again, I'll eat one," the teen huffed, "I'm still far better than you even with food poisoning."  
Yuuri had been baking for as long as the younger one had been living, so he was pretty sure nobody would end up in hospital but stayed silent.  
"Imagined it worse." Yuuri pretended not to see how the little Russian licked the crumbs of his finger.  
The next time Yuuri turned to the counter the young skater had vanished upstairs. Together with the plate and his glass of milk.  
A satisfied smile graced his lips the whole day.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Victor stared at the three cellophane bags in front of him. They were lovely wrapped, each with a different ribbon, like someone really did care for him. But his experiences as a famous figure skater told him otherwise. Don't trust presents, especially food, you never know if someone wants you vomiting for hours instead of competing. Since being at the top for several years meant having the most opponents at the same time. And some of them weren't just watching jealously from the sidelines.  
Fetching his phone he tried to ignore the bags and wrote Yurio a quick message.

 _Yurio: What?_  
 _Victor: Yuuri asked me to give you his number because you forgot some stuff at the inn. Please send him your address. :)_  
 _Yurio: Got it._  
 _Victor: Yurio?  
Victor: Yurioooo? I can see that you're online._  
 _Yurio: I'm not answering to that name. ┌∩┐_  
 _Victor: Has anything strange happened to you while your stay in Hasetsu?_  
 _Yurio: Just spill. And leave me alone then. It's two in the morning over here._  
 _Victor: For a couple of days I'm discovering bags with my favorite candy dangling in front of my locker, tied to my door at Yu-Topia or attachted to Makka's collar. Vatrushka, chak-chak, pastilas ... No message, no name._  
 _Yurio: Must be a hardcore fan._  
 _Victor: Think so?_  
 _Yurio: Remember the article where the Russian team was asked about their favorite food, sweets and candys? Someone is giving you your answers as a present._  
 _Victor: Why breaking in instead of giving me the sweets in person?_  
 _Yurio: You idiot. Do you really think someone breaks into the Onsen and goes right in front of your room in order to leave some candy!? (;_ _O´)o It was someone who has access and is always with you that's why he knows your damn locker. Use your brain for once!_  
 _Victor: #^.^# You mean ...?_  
 _Yurio: I don't mean anything. Wouldn't share my cookies if your life depended on it!  
_

* * *

So next time Yuuri could spare a little time for his secret hobby he had another unexpected visitor.  
"Yuuri!" Victor shouted joyfully as he barged in the kitchen of Yu-Topia. "Yurio texted me you can bake! Why was he allowed to eat your recipes but not me?"  
He looked up from the dozens of gift bags filled with cookies he had the tie up with a ribbon yet.  
"Do you feel stressed?" Viktor leaned over the counter as far as possible. "As your coach I'm here to help you relax, too. Before you sneak away and gobble all those of cookies."  
Yuuri flushed at his suggestion but replied nevertheless so that he didn't catch how Victor scanned the gift bags, comparing the foil and the ribbons to his almost identical ones which were lying on his bed upstairs.  
"Those are not for me." Yuuri answered rapidly. "I'm helping Mari-nee to bake some as a small welcome gift for our visitors. Sometimes I'm baking a cake for the elderly home down the street or Minako's dance class after a successful competition. In middle school I often helped at Ice Castle if they had to celebrate a children birthday party at the rink or ..."  
Victor almost sparkled form joy as Yuuri rambled on. Since his stay in Japan he'd never spoken so freely to the Russian.  
"It's different from skating. There's no pressure in it, because I can always make a new batch or try other ornaments. With a good routine I can amaze someone for a couple of minutes. Baking is more subtle, slow-burning way of showing my ... gratitude." Almost he had said 'affection' but stopped in time. Victor should never know that he fantasized about him eating his creations with gusto. Dreamed that he would like to kiss away the crumbs that stick on the corner of Victor's mouth.  
Hopefully his little treats helped Victor feeling at home since Yuuri feared the most that his idol could be tired of Hasetsu by now. Or worse: tired of Yuuri himself.  
"May I have one, too?," Victor asked.  
"S-sure." Yuuri's finger trembled as he offered a biscuit that his coach took with a dazzling smile.  
"Vkusno!"  
In the end Victor ate five and even looked for older ones safely boxed in the storage room.  
Yuuri had no idea how thrilling achieving a gold medal might be. But he felt like he'd won gold at the GPF this instant.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

"Teach me!" Victor demanded the next day off shoving a fancy looking magazine into Yuuri's hands as soon as he left his room at Yu-Topia. "Please, Yuuri, teach how to make this cake."  
He could read Japanese a bit, though Yuuri doubted he understood the recipe completely.  
"Have you ever made a cake before?" he asked after scanning the described steps.  
Victor shook his head, still smiling brightly.  
"Why did you choose this one?"  
"Because I like strawberries."  
"It's been a long time since I made something this difficult, I don't know if ..."  
"Yuuri," Victor interrupted, capturing his hands. "It doesn't have to look like in the magazine at all. If I recall rightly, photographers have to wax the food for those shots so that it looks almost too perfect. I want to eat a strawberry cream cake with you we both made together. Please?"  
He was about to taste his own medicine. Did Victor's heart beat like crazy, too, as he asked him to be himself, only himself? Had the corridor ever been so small or was Victor's present getting more overwhelming? In a good way, Yuuri thought hastily.  
"The cream needs several hours to stiffen, so ..."  
Victor grabbed his sleeve tightly and headed to the front door so that Yuuri had to follow. "We can schedule an extra training session before we celebrate this calorie festival. But first groceries."

Victor rocked back and forth as Yuuri took out the cake from the refrigerator, almost squealing in anticipation. The first piece tumbled into a plate, the cream instantly melting and exposing messily cut strawberries.  
"Shoot, what a failure. You don't have to ..." Yuri started, eyes downcast. He had messed up his chance to impress greatly.  
But Victor lifted up his chin before picking a spoon. "I'll eat it gladly because you were the one who made it with me."  
Flushed scarlet Yuuri tried to be humble for once. "Thank you."  
"Wow!" Victor gathered up another heap. "I really overdid it with the sugar."  
He offered the spoon Yuuri who hesitated a second or two before he licked it clean. Victor's eyes never left his lips so that Yuuri forget to appraise the taste, texture and his shortcomings.  
The cake was as sweet as Victor, he thought smiling but didn't voice his confession. "Next time, we should use more gelatin."  
Victor lifted a spoonful with strawberries, Yuuri ate the offer without a doubt. "Next time?," his coach inquired.  
Suddenly feeling bolt Yuuri scrapped up some cream so that he could feed Victor instead.  
"Anything you like", he proposed as cerulean eyes bored into his.  
The way Victor caressed the spoon between his lips conveyed a message Yuuri never allowed himself to hope for.  
"Well, I really want to know what you are thinking right now." Victor whispered in his seductive voice that sent a shiver down on Yuuri's spine . "But I'm settling for Red Velvet White Chocolate Swiss Roll! It's on page 84 or 87? Where did I left the magazine?"  
Yuuri chuckled at his sudden cheerfulness. Maybe one day he could get his feelings for Victor across like this.

Nevertheless Yurio wasn't any better and got addicted in his own way. Shortly before the Rostlecom Cup he sent an angry message that he _demanded_ a bag of those macadamia cookies. And if Victor learned to bake he wanted it, too.  
Otherwise he would make Moscow a living hell for Yuuri.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Thanks to Victors, Yurios and Phichit extensive upload of photos on instagram, their combined fan base grew exponentially after the Grand Prix Final of Barcelona. Victurri - trending almost every time juicy photos popped up. Some other skaters followed them, too, their friends, ... but Yuuri started to choke under the stress piling up. He liked the encouragement if Victor snapped a photo of their training. Though as the following months flew by everyone poked their noses into their life. Especially the current stage of their relationship. They were appreciated, hated, commented on every single bit that was shared - and his fiancé shared quite a lot.  
At some point Yuuri disliked his cakes being photographed - fearing the negative comments as well as other pastry chefs who probably could have made them more astonishing. Baking was his stress reliever, his little island of peace. Plus, he didn't wanted to share Victor's pouts and smiles and shouts of glee when tasting Yuuri's recipes. He didn't want to share his recipes either. Absolutely not!  
No one should be able to imitate the taste Victor came to love. Selfish, wasn't it?  
Teaching Yurio never seemed a threat, the young Russian would rather die than confessing that he learned to bake for his grandfather. And probably Otabek, too.

As patient as Victor was in their first year, now he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. But the only thing they agreed on was to schedule their marriage before the next season's GPF. They argued over the ceremony, the party, the guests, especially the cake ... Victor wasn't understanding why anyone could be annoyed of Yuuri's second talent or why Yuuri cringed as lists of friends and relatives grow bigger and bigger. He feared the sheer amount of photos and videos the most.  
Victor even asked if he wanted to make the cake or the 'thank you'-gift for their guests in order to lighten Yuuri's mood but earned just an emotional breakdown that resulted into three days of intensive solitary skating.  
In the end Victor canceled everything and settled to be married at a Japanese registry office in secret since Russia wasn't very open to same sex relationships. Instead of being in the spotlight they focused on themselves, enjoying quite vows, a little crying on both sides and the biggest smiles they've seen on their significant other for a long time.

For the moment Victor booked a weekend in a spa hotel feigning to take a break. Their fans and families were left in the dark, so everyone online was distressed about their sudden silence and wondered if their favorite couple could have reached its limit.  
Instead of breaking up Victor couldn't guide and shove Yuuri fast enough to their hotel room. No party nor guests meant a lot of hours for themselves and Victor planned to enjoy them.  
Yuuri tumbled on the king sized bed as Victor pushed him backwards, before resuming their kiss. Heart-shaped meringues bounced beside him, he almost collapsed onto them. "You made them?" Yuri asked eyeing the rough appearance but understood the message very clearly.  
His newly-wed husband sat back. "Don't look so suspicious. I won't kill my Yuuri in the first night."  
Yuuri raised an eyebrow still; forgetting his half way undressed suit.  
Victor cringed at his silent accusation. "Yurio helped me making the pastry and showed me how to mold hearts. But," he lifted his index finger, "I put them in the oven and fetched them in the best moment."  
The best moment turned out the be a bit too crispy but Yuuri didn't mind at all.  
"Yuuri?", Victor whispered, hugging him from behind so that his hot breath caressed his ear.  
He nodded.  
"It's a pity that I couldn't eat your strawberry chiffon cake today," Victor whined.  
Yuuri chuckled at his childlike behavior. "Maybe someone delivered said cake yesterday to our hotel in secret in order to surprise you."  
„Marry me, Yuuri!" Suddenly they were laying flushed against each other and Victor nuzzled his hair affectionally.  
„You already did, silly."  
"Marry me twice!"  
Yuuri turned, grabbed Victor's tie instead and tugged at it playfully. "We should made this marriage official first, don't you think?"

The day after their successful GPF both of them posted a picture on instagram showing their half-eaten chiffon cake, leftover meringue and their interlaced fingers on which sparkled their platinum wedding bands. The caption read: Introducing the current silver and gold medalist Victor and Yuuri Katsuki-Nikiforov.  
Before the first comment arrived Victor shut his mobile phone down as their plane to their secret honeymoon was ready to take off.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

Baking and tasting together soon became a routine for the couple although they always let their spunky Yurio join them if time and place matched.  
Such as the morning after World's in Boston where the three of them met in the hotel hallway by coincidence sharing a secret nod no one else noted. Victor had somehow convinced the staff the secure them a small spot in the kitchen. Yuuri had no idea how he managed that but he stopped to ask a while ago. His husband loved to surprise him way too much, especially since their first wedding anniversary clashed with their competitions.  
On top of that Yurio appeared shortly afterwards like he knew what they were up to. The young skater never let a chance slide to compete with Yuuri.  
Both listened carefully to Yuuri's explanations since he always carried some beginner's recipes for them with him. Soon their spot in the huge hotel kitchen was filled laughing, bantering, teasing.  
"Yuuri", Victor wailed. "Why isn't my dough getting smooth?"  
"You're getting old!", Yurio hissed. "First only winning bronze and now you can't even scramble up something decent."  
"Said the angry kitten who fumbled every jump in training if a certain someone is watching."  
"Don't call me kitten."  
"How about fruit fairy? Besides I wouldn't think to be placed third behind you two is similar to loosing. I'm far too proud of my disciples."  
"He's not denying why he fumbled each jump", Yuuri stated calmly but caused a moderate food fight with this.  
Again Yuuri smiled at them, feeling at home although he never had been to Boston before.

Since the three top skater's didn't show up at the media conference rumors started to spread. Did they party too hard at last night's banquet and overslept? Reporters from all over the world were eager to question the pair that changed skating history if the rumors of Victor's retirement were true. Plus they were curios of their newest protégé, who had just scored silver at World's.  
Until Phichit bounced from his chair, exclaimed happily "I know exactly where Yuuri is!" and bolted in the direction of the hotel's kitchen. Seung-Il and JJ followed as confused as some of the journalists.  
Later social media was swamped with photos and videos of Yuuri carrying a basket of cupcakes while Victor tried to snatch one away playfully. Yuuri sent him a strict look, so that his husband sulked like a child before they started laughing. Victor's own burnt batch of you-couldn't-distinguish-anymore long forgotten. But for once Yuuri didn't care if the whole world could watch them closely.

Beside them, wrapped up in his own little world, Yurio licked the last rest of cream out of a bowl as he gauged his fruit tarts satisfied.  
'RussianCreamKitty' went viral that day.  
Not only because fans found photos of a smiling Otabek Altin eating identical tarts on a sunny hotel patio some hours later.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

During Vicor's first year in retirement they had to face some major changes. With Victor focusing on training Yurio and some additional future students he was still scouting, plus Yuuri's own career slowly nearing its end they hoped their biggest wish would finally come true. They'd been trying to expand their family for quite some time now, but the Russian bureaucracy always crossed through their plans.  
Though Victor was always up for a challenge and loved to surprise everyone as he finally managed to get all the papers done. Resigning his career as a skater finally at the same time as he starting being a full-time coach and soon-to-be parent. He still loved announcing changes with a bang.  
Then the Russian skating foundation practically abandoned them.  
Winning gold after gold and living with a man - no problem.  
Kissing said man in the public - some gruesome meetings and chats about values, moral, ... were the consequence. But since they trained the next Russian generation to gold, hence Yurio, the association somehow overlooked it.  
Ignoring Victors double-name even after years of their marriage - Yuuri could get used to this.  
But a same sex couple officially adopting a child - no way they're allowed to stay in Russia. Leave. Now. Better yesterday.

Due to all that travelling for championships or official meetings with their sponsors Yuuri developed a slight different meaning of 'home' then other people. The onsen in Hasetsu was his home, since he grew up there and because of his ever doting parents who invited the couple on regular basis.  
St. Petersburg, the place where Victor lived and trained the longest, became his home after moving in with his former boyfriend, now husband. Yuuri had never felt tied to one particular place as long as Victor was staying with him. Waking up next to him, enjoying a meal together, skate or just relaxing on a day off. The place wasn't important, his family was.  
But now a shy five years old boy, named Sascha, was their little addition. Small and slender, with wavy brown locks and green eyes that were bristling with doubt and fear to be abandoned again. They needed a place where Sascha would fit in best and wasn't attacked because of his dads.  
So, should they move back to Japan? Or settle in Europe? America? Whatever they would pin out they had to travel nevertheless as the ISU shuffled the attending skaters well over the international tournaments. Since Japan was steadily accepting gay couples and Yuuri's parents wished to see Sascha grow up, too, Yuuri chose Fukuoka. The city was associated with ISU and close enough to Hasetsu to make a short trip to Yu-Topia every time they needed. Or they had to travel abroad.

Yuuri never calculated the culture shock though. Figure skaters were used to adapt quickly and learned to tolerate cultural differences with respect and patience. On the contrary Sascha started to cling to Victor, the only one who spoke Russian so far. Yuuri could hold small conversations in Russian with reporters or skating officials, but speaking with a child appeared to be a whole new level. A very difficult level.  
Therefore Yuuri tried to build a home. They bought furniture for Sascha's room in their new house, went shopping for clothing and all those things a child needed like bear-shaped plates, small-sized mugs and more toys Sascha ever owned before.  
But during those times Yuuri always had pictured as a happy family Sascha shied away from him. The small boy was always looking at him with fearful eyes as if Yuuri was the reason for throwing him into a different, confusing world. He wanted that Victor should put him to bed, fetch him after at his daycare, that Victor should show him how he could move on ice with those blades under his shoes.  
"Give him more time," Victor assured him regularly. "I'm sure he'll open up soon."

After the first month of their life in Fukuoka Yuuri started to lose hope. They've scheduled a welcome party for Sascha with their skater friends who were able to visit Japan. (Somehow Yurio was the most eager to meet his new rink mate as if he wished for a little brother the most.) Still with no real progress Yuuri flubbed his training sessions and dig into party preparation afterwards, baking like he had to feet at least 50 people instead of 15.  
While being covered in flour, pastry, icing and several different types of fruit flavored cream and muttering furiously what a huge failure he was at being a dad, Yuuri neither heard the front door open nor the approaching steps.  
"Hello, my love." Victor greeted him with a his usual bright smile, before pulling Sascha out of his hide-out, Victor's huge legs.  
He gave Sascha a little push and the boy stumbled a few steps in Yuuri's direction. Fearfully looking back as if he wished to retreat.  
Yuuri almost dropped everything at the sight.  
"Sorry, it took so long to dig out the truth." Victor switched to Japanese so their son couldn't understand. "He is scared you don't like him because you're always calm and quiet. Especially with our language barrier and my little overwhelming behavior. He thought you don't talk to him as a punishment, that he was somehow at fault. They did that at his orphanage, bloody bastards."  
Suddenly being bold Sascha tugged softly at his sleeve and Yuuri leaned down to him.  
"Yes?", he asked with a warm smile, ruffling through Sascha's brown locks with floury fingers.  
Squeaking at the sudden contact the first words were Russian before the young boy stopped and hold up something in his palm. "Oto-san", he paused again thinking hard. "Ne-neko no cookie."  
Yuuri's heart burst with love as he hugged his son close.  
On Sascha's palm lay a cat shaped cookie cutter.

Their little family was finally at home.


End file.
